The present invention relates to saddlebag support brackets and, more particularly, to a one-piece solid steel bag support system that fits and properly supports the saddlebags of the HARLEY-DAVIDSON® HERITAGE SOFTAIL® leather saddlebags.
Current HARLEY-DAVIDSON® saddlebags offer limited support, even with alterations to the motorcycle or existing original saddlebags. Other products are often made of multiple metal parts, or plastic which are often subject to heat, cold, moisture, vibrations, loosening and failure.
Some systems are “liners” only, and as such, add their own weight to the interior of each bag but offer little to no secondary support. Many other products require gluing, hole punching, riveting, or other alterations to the original bag as it was produced. Many other products accidentally reduce capacity as they, themselves, occupy space inside each bag when they are installed.
Many systems try, in different ways, to aesthetically improve a bag's appearance. They are, in some cases, successful in helping the appearance, but do not actually accomplish much real support. HARLEY-DAVIDSON® introduced, in the 2011 catalog, a design that requires attachment to the frame. The HARLEY-DAVIDSON® design, however, additionally requires that you “attach” a separate lid support as well as various other small components. The HARLEY-DAVIDSON® product requires a fairly lengthy and involved installation. The HARLEY-DAVIDSON® design also omits any specific and unique support mechanisms for the front and rear of the bag as well as the outer edge of the lid.
As can be seen, there is a need for an improved saddlebag support bracket for HARLEY-DAVIDSON® HERITAGE SOFTAIL® motorcycles.